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Batman The Animated Series: Robin's Reckoning
During a stakeout at a construction site, Batman and Robin catch a gang of mobsters trying to sabotage an incomplete building in order to extort money from a wealthy architect. The dynamic duo manages to beat the gang but most of them escape. Fortunately, Batman catches one and demands an explanation and the name of his boss. The criminal refuses to speak to him or the police, but when Batman shows he's not going to save him unless he gets the information he wants, the criminal blurts out the name "Billy Marrin." Robin grills the man for more information but Batman tells him to let it go and sends him to get the batmobile. Robin does as told leaving Batman to get the information himself. When they return home, Robin is left wondering who Marrin really is, but Batman insists that Robin stay out of this one: he works alone for the time being. Following Batman's departure, Robin and Alfred Pennyworth use the Batcave's criminal database to determine the real identity of the crime mob boss. To his shock, Robin discovers that Marrin is really an alias for Tony Zucco, the man who took his parents from him nearly nine years ago... As a young child, Dick Grayson was in a popular circus acrobat trio with his parents, "The Flying Graysons." After finishing practice, Dick overhears the ringmaster Mr. Haley refusing to pay a young Tony Zucco for "protection." Zucco leaves telling him that he'll regret his decision. While preparing for a Wayne Charity convention in Gotham, Zucco partially saws through a trapeze rope to be used in the Graysons act. When the show starts Dick notices Zucco leaving the tent but his parents don't give him a chance to warn them and they start up their act. During a portion of the trapeze act, a trick involving both his parents on the same trapeze is performed and Dick watches from a platform as the rope snaps and his parents, known for performing without a net, plummet to their deaths in front of his eyes. Upon hearing of Dick's telling of what he saw, Jim Gordon fears that he will have no place to go, as he is a material witness. Bruce Wayne, who is in the audience, takes pity on the boy, as they are both the orphaned sons of parents murdered in their presence and takes young Dick into his custody. Bruce gives Dick his old room and tells him that he'll always have a home there. In the present, Robin seethes over Batman taking Zucco away from him and thereby robbing him of his revenge. Meanwhile, Batman searches for Zucco remembering what he did to his young partner and reminisces his first search… Although he is safe with Bruce Wayne, Dick is lonely, and the general awkwardness of the situation, being left in a large mansion with Alfred as a primary caretaker, makes him uncomfortable. After participating in an illegal gambling game and later revealing himself to be Batman, Batman tracks down Zucco at his uncle Arnold Stromwell's mansion. Stromwell refuses to give up Zucco but after Batman leaves berates his nephew for his stupidity and rashness in murdering the Graysons thereby causing Batman to turn his attention to them. Their argument is short-lived as the guards detect Batman on the property. Zucco tries to run over Batman with his car but Batman evades injury. Unfortunately, Zucco is able to evade his grasp, while Batman feels haunted for not catching the Graysons' killer. As he returns to the Batcave, Alfred reminds him that Dick is feeling unloved and scared, which prompts Bruce to realize he must spend more time with him. He later comforts the boy and tries to make him feel better, but Dick breaks down in tears and explains that he saw Zucco before the murder, thus making him responsible. Bruce points out he felt the same way when his parents died, but there was nothing either of them could have done. Sadly, the hurt never goes away. But he promises that it'll get better for Dick. After discovering the crook's identity and reliving the tragedy, Robin demands that Batman allows him to take his vengeance on the man who murdered his parents. Batman refuses but Robin sets out on his RedBird motorbike to find Zucco, while Alfred remains at a loss about what to do. Batman tracks Tony Zucco while, secretly, Robin seeks to find Zucco to avenge his parents' death. However, Batman discovers that Robin is tracking him and shuts off his tracer. However, Robin decides that he'll just find Zucco himself, "just like I did before!" Following a number of days, Bruce and Dick bond very well. While they engage in a playful fencing match Alfred then tells Bruce that Jim Gordon is asking to talk to him. Gordon tells Bruce that he's very convinced that Zucco might skip town and if he escapes it may be for good. Dick hears this and decides to take matters into his own hands. After running away from Wayne Manor, he tries to track his parents' killer showing people his picture but not gaining very much success at first. However, while searching a run-down section of Gotham and avoiding Batman, who, unbeknownst to Dick, is also searching for Zucco, Dick rescues a prostitute being mugged by her pimp. Using his gymnastic skills he defeats the full-grown attacker, finishing by jumping to grab hold of a fire escape, avoiding the mugger's charge and allowing him to rush head-on into a wall, knocking him unconscious. The prostitute treats Dick to dinner at a diner. There, a waitress recognizes Tony Zucco and reveals that she's seen him coming from an abandoned building. Dick goes to the building and discovers that Zucco is desperately packing up to leave. Determined not to let him get away, Dick prepares to call the police but accidentally steps on a can and alerts Zucco to his presence. Zucco catches him before he can make the call, but Batman arrives. Zucco is no match for Batman but Dick attacks Zucco and is thrown into an aqueduct. Batman rescues him before he can go over a waterfall and takes him to shore. Much to Dick's dismay, however, Zucco is gone. He screams at Batman demanding to know why he let Zucco go. Batman brings Dick back to the Batcave, and reveals himself to be Bruce Wayne. Seeing this, Alfred notes that Dick's "temporary" stay has become indefinite. As the flashback ends, Robin voices a warning to Zucco, proclaiming he, Robin, was "taught by the best," a reference to his years of training under Batman, and he takes off on his motorcycle to continue the search. Going to the home of the captured extortionist, Ferris Dolan, Robin uses a phone tracer to obtain Zucco's address, but unfortunately the call, though silent, worries an already stressed out Zucco. Upon hearing some sounds in the ceiling he has a fit of paranoia, and fires a sub-machine gun repeatedly into it. Unfortunately the noise was Batman, who falls through the weakened ceiling. Caught by surprise, he lands wrong and twists his knee. Zucco believes he has Batman but his weapon is now unloaded. Batman hurls a smoke bomb at Zucco and his thugs and manages to limp from the room. Hiding in the abandoned amusement park serving as Zucco's hideout, he barely has time to treat his wounds before being attacked by Zucco's pursuing henchmen. Though limping, he is able to pick off the thugs one-by-one through the heavy use of stealth. He eventually ends up fighting several thugs on the carousel and ties them to the horses. Unfortunately, Zucco is still after Batman and insane from having to spend nine years of looking over his shoulder, he prepares to fire at the carrousel regardless of the fact he'll hit his men. However, before he can fire, Robin, still riding his motorcycle, crashes through the fence, rides straight at Zucco and, grabbing him by the collar, drags him behind the cycle to the end of a pier where he confronts Zucco. Zucco is no match for the enraged Robin and is pummeled to the point of nearly falling over the edge. Robin prepares to throw him off but Batman tells him to stop. Robin snaps at him insisiting that Batman can't know know how he feels. Realizing that Batman knows exactly how he feels, Robin shows mercy rather than become a murderer to appease his desire for vengeance. As the police take Zucco into custody, Batman explains that he distanced Robin from the investigation because he didn't want Zucco to take anything more from Robin.